The affair surrounding Christian Horner is still not over. A friend has now stood up for him – and was criticized for it.
Daniel Ricciardo is actually a real crowd favorite in Formula 1, appreciated both in the paddock and by the fans. But now the Australian RB driver has been attacked and insulted by fans on social media. Reason: Ricciardo commented on the situation surrounding Red Bull team boss Christian Horner in an interview – and defended the Brit.
“I hope that these things slowly go away and Red Bull can just concentrate on being a racing team and the problems slowly dissipate. There is a lot of noise at the moment,” said Ricciardo. Even more: he feels for Horner. “I have known Christian for a very long time. He has always taken good care of me. So I hope that there will be a fair result and a solution soon.”
| placement | Driver, teamdriver | team | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |  Fernando AlonsoAston Martin | Aston Martin | 28 |
| 2. |  George RussellMercedes | Mercedes | 24 |
| 3. |  Max VerstappenRed Bull | Red Bull | 27 |
| 4. |  Charles LeclercFerrari | Ferrari | 25 |
| 5. |  Sergio PerezRed Bull | Red Bull | 27 |
According to various reports and a leak that has not yet been verified, Horner is said to have sent lewd messages to an employee who reported to him (read more about this here).
However, the team’s long-time successful manager was acquitted after an internal investigation by an external law firm and was allowed to keep his position. However, there were consequences for the employee. According to a report in Bild, she was suspended at the beginning of the week. “F1 Insider”, on the other hand, even spoke of a dismissal.
Long-term friendship
Horner and Ricciardo have known each other for years. However, his statements were met with harsh criticism from fans. One fan wrote: “He has the nerve to act like the whole thing is just noise. A seat is more important than your integrity? I have no respect for you anymore.” Another commented: “You’re just a cash cow – hoping to be back in the Red Bull one day.”
Ricciardo found his way into Formula 1 through the Red Bull training program. There he won seven races before moving to Renault in 2019. But even after another move to McLaren, success remained elusive. The 34-year-old has been driving for RB, the former Alpha Tauri, since 2024.